Means for impregnating felt or other fabrics



Nov. 19, 1929. K. H. SCHUTTE 1,736,633

MEANS FOR IMPREGNATING FELT OR OTHER FABRICS Filed Jan. 27, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l I IH'II INVENTOR JCJ-Lflchuife ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 19, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE KARI: HENRY BCHUTTE, OFJEBSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF '10 3'. FRANK DABLIN G, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK mats FOB mPREGNATING FELT OR OTHER FABRICS Application filed January 27, 1927. Serial No. 164,019.

In the manufacture of felt base floor covering, roofings and similar articles where it is necessary'to impregnate rag felts and other fabrics to the point of saturation with heated I asphaltum, or other saturating agents, there is considerable waste due to the breaking of the web in the saturating tanks. The wider the web, the more waste there is. Deep tanks equipped with hates are necessary to saturate 1d the web, as well as cooling drums, drying loopers, etc., not to mention the employment of skilled labor to attend the different phases of the operation.

In the roofing industry two kinds oi as- 15 phalts are being used; one for saturatmg, the other for coating purposes. The first hind referred to is chiefly a soft, steam-refined product selected for its capacity to penetrate the web and a product susceptible to W changes of temperature. The second, oxidized rubbery asphalt, is much less susceptible to changes or temperature and used as a. coating medium into which slate granules are pressed, while the asphalt is hot. i

In the felt-base floor-covering industry, a

fairly hard, steam-refined asphalt of a higher melting point as compared with roo saturating asphalt, is being used, which is even more susceptible to temperature changes 30 than roofing asphalt.

My invention relates to an improved apparatus for the saturating phase of treating the materials referred to for efiecting thorough and-complete saturation. The in- 5 vention is useful for the purpose of impregnating floor covering, roofing and other felts or fabrics with a suitable oxidized, rubbery esphaltum or other saturants, the general object being to produce saturated felts that Wlll m be elastic, strong, taut and water-proof.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification which represent one means for carrying out w the invention. o i. is a longitudinal, vertical pipe 11 adapted to be connected to any convenient source of supply of asphaltum or the like is disposed above tank 10 and has a distributing head 12 "formed with a plurality of outlets 13 for the asphaltum. The outlets 13 discharge to nozzles 1% (Figures 1 and 2) terminating in pouring spouts 15. The

fabric A is passed through feed rollers 16 and downward beneath an idler roller 17 adapted to have the material poured thereon by the spouts 15. From idler roller lithe fabric A passes over a suction cylinder 18 in which a dry vacuum is maintained, as will apfing pear, then downward over an idler roller 19 submerged in the tank 10 and throu h squeezing rollers 20. Cylinder 18 is perirated at the top. 75

An air ipe 21 communicates suitably with the interior of the suction cylinder 18, as through opening 22 which also constitutes a drain hole for the asphaltum drawn into the cylinder 18, so that the as haltum collecting in said cylinder 18 will nally pass to a drain pipe 23 which may be disposed above any suitable catch basin or lead to any convenient source.

The idler rollers 17 and 19 tension the fabric A suficiently, for which purpose said rollers are mounted respectively inframes 2d, 25, the journals or" the idlers l7, it) having clearance invertical slots 26, 2? provided by guides 28, 29 on tanlr id The lower one oil W squeezing rollers 20 is journaled in vertical frame 30 supported on tank 10 or otherwise, while journals of the upper roller 20 turn in bearings 31, vertically adjustable in guide slots 32, in-response to the operation of adjusting screws 33.

Frame 24 has a rack engaged by pinion 51 on handled shaft 52. Frame 25 has a rack 53 engaged by pinion 54 on a handled shaft Thus both frames 24 and 25 may be raised or lowered.

In order to adapt the apparatus for effectively impregnating fabrics of different widths without waste and with economy, I provide means for varying the effective suction area of the cylinder 18, for which purpose use is made of arcuate shields 34 on segmental webs 35 having hubs 36 engaging right and left threads on adjusting shaft 37, having radial ends 38, whereby to cover by said shields 34 more or less of the perforated to of cylinder 18.-

ith the described construction suction produced in pipe 21 will cause a vacuum within the cylinder 18 and it is to be observed that said cylinder 18 is above the level of the asphaltum in tank 10, whereby a dry vacuum is maintained. So much of cylinder 18 as is exposed between radial guards 38, will be subject to the suction, and as the pouring spouts 15 are in advance of the cylinder 18 the fabric A will pass over said cylinder after the pouring of the asphaltum on to the roller 17 and therefore on to the fabric A. The fabric thus coated with asphaltum will be subjected to suction and the asphaltum will be drawn into the fabric in passing over the topof cylinder 18 and effective saturation of the fabric will result. As the fabric moves downward into the asphaltum in the tank 10 and about roller 19 it will be again thoroughly coated on both sides with the asphaltum and the surplus asphaltum will finally be removed by reason of the squeezing rollers 20. It is to be understood that the cylinder 18 is turned continuously, there being shown for the purpose a drive shaft 39 on the end of adjusting shaft 37 and driven in any suitable manner, as by a pulley 139. The cylinder 18 at one end is turnable with the shaft 39 as seen at the right of Figure 3 while at the opposite end said cylinder 18 is turnably mounted on a hollow bearing 41 supported on tank 10, said hollow bearing 41 forming a passage for the asphaltum to drain from the cylinder 18 to drain opening 22. The extension 42 on bearing 41 has a bearing 43 for one end of adjusting shaft 37, the opposite end of said adjusting shaft having a bearing as at 44 in the end of hollow bearing 41.

The positioning of cylinder 18 above the liquid level in the tank 10 insures a dry vacuum for effectiveness in drawing the asphaltum into and through the felt or fabric,'and at the same timeprevents filling of the vacuum suction through cylinder 18 may be the more effective I provide for drawing the air from the interstices and bores of the fabric preparatory to theapplication of the asphaltum for impregnating the material. For the stated purpose I extend the perforated area; at the top of the cylinder 18 to sufficient ex-.

tent so that the suction is effective between the roller 17 and the nozzle 15. Thus air will be drawn from the fabric'-' directly before the fabric reaches the asphaltum, it being understood that the suction of the fabric preliminary to the application of the asphaltum may be otherwise produced.

I would state furthermore that while the illustrated example constitutes a practical embodiment of my invention, I do not limit myself strictly to the exact details herein illustrated, since, manifestly, the same can be considerably varied without de arture from the spirit of the invention, as efined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In an apparatus for impregnating felt and other fabrics, a tank to hold the impregnating material, means above the level of the material in the tank to guide fabric through the apparatus, means above said level to direct impregnating material on to the fabric, means to produce a suction at the opposite side of the felt from that on to which the impregnating material is directed, and means to cause the fabric to dip into the material in the tank after the application ofthe suction to the fabric.

2. In an apparatus for impregnating Ielt or other fabrics, a tank to hold impregnating material, a revolving suction cylinder above the level of the liquid in the tank to be out of contact with said liquid, means to pass the fabric to be impregnated over the top of and in contact with the suction cylinder, and means adjacent the suction cylinder to direct impregnating material on to the fabric while passing over and in contact with the cylinder,

and means for directing the fabric from the 7 cylinder to the tank.

3. In an apparatus for impregnating felt or other fabrics, a tank to hold impregnating materiaha revolving suction cylinder above the level of the liquid in the tank, means to ass the fabric to be impregnated over and 1n contact with the suction cylinder, and means adjacent the suction c linder to direct impregnating material to t e fabric while passing over and in contact with the. cylinder, together with adjustable means tovary the effective suction area of said cylinder, and

maaeaa means for directing the fabric from the cylinder to the tank.

4. In an a; aratus for impregnatin felt and other a rics, means to feed abric through the apparatus, a tank to hold the impre ating material, means to direct the fabric into the tank when bein fed through the apparatus, means for app ying impregnating material to the fabric, and suction means over which the fabric is passed after the application of impreirgating material, said suction means being a ve the liquid level in the tank so that the suction acts on the impre nated fabric before being directed to the tan KARL H. SCHUTTE. 

